A Normal Life
by abiholmes97
Summary: Alexandra Lestrade-Holmes has been used to a certain degree of luxury in her life. So when she decides to live in Halls when she's goes to uni, she knows she wants to be like everyone else. Against one of her fathers wishes. Chaos ensues as Alex tries to persuade Mycroft, supported by Greg and her younger brother.


Growing up, I had everything at my fingertips Life as Mycroft Holmes' daughter was pretty neat. I went to a posh private school in the heart of London, surrounded by even posher students. I don't consider myself that posh as I am half-Lestrade and my other dad is anything but posh! But I am still better off than some people. Yet, I had decided that this had to change.

I was coming to the end of my first year of A-Levels and I was an Oxbridge candidate, to both of my dad's pleasures, but to the dismay of one, I had decided that I wasn't going to accept the offer to either university.

"Why?" was Mycroft Holmes' response, "Why would you throw away your future like that?"

"Because," I replied, "it was your university and if I go, I won't be treated like any other student, because I'm your daughter and for once in my life I would like to be treated like any other student!" I said without drawing breath.

"Myc, she has a point." Interceded Greg.

Mycroft looked at me, "But you're so talented, Lexie, you could really flourish there."

"But I could really flourish elsewhere too Dad." I sighed, "Being a Holmes has really opened doors for me, but its time I started opening those doors myself."

"And you support this?" he asked Greg, who was standing in the doorway, in his dressing gown.

"Yes, I do and so do you." He came and stood behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "She's _our _daughter, Myc, 100% ours. Your brains, my determination. Alex won't quit."

[I should point out, my name is Alexandra. Mycroft calls me Lexie, always has done, but Greg calls me Alex. Having two Dad's can be confusing, but the fact that they both call me something different is really useful!]

Mycroft smiled at me, "I know she won't," he replied, smiling, "And while I believe that she would be better off at Oxbridge, it is my duty as her father to support her."

My eyes lit up when I heard this, "D'you mean it?" I asked, hardly daring to believe it.

Dad nodded, "You are my daughter, of course if this is what you want then I support you."

I ran to him and gave him a hug, which he returned, "Thanks Dad!"

"Anytime." He replied, "When did you get so grown up anyway?"

Greg laughed and came to join us. "It would seem our Alex grew up whilst we weren't looking."

Months passed and in the midst of coursework and exams, I had secured three offers to universities, besides Oxbridge. I had my heart set on King's College London, as I could study Religion, Politics and Society. My other choices were Canterbury and Chichester. My grandparents lived in Sittingbourne, which was the reason why I chose Canterbury and my Dad had an estate in Chichester, so I knew the area well. Life was carrying along as normal. Greg would let me study in his office during my free periods [believe it or not, it was quieter than the library at college] and Mycroft let me use his office after school when he went out with Greg, or was at the Diogenes Club. I wrote 2 out of my three English lit coursework essays in Scotland Yard fueled by bad coffee and the occasional donut that Greg left behind and my politics coursework, I completed in Mycroft's office, where the coffee was significantly better! Again, connections.

Once I had sat my final exams, it was a matter of working for results day. My coursework had come back with top marks, so I was fairly confident in my exams. Having a photographic memory had its uses. I was making the most of my time at home. Hopefully, I would get a place at King's College, so I would still be in the city, but I would live away from home for the first time. However, trying to persuade Mycroft to let me choose my accommodation was hard enough. We didn't get into an argument about it, but we certainly had a heated discussion about it.

I had been shadowing my eldest stepbrother, Daniel at his work at Thames House that morning, just to give me something to do and to see if it was something I would be interested in post university. I then had lunch with him and his wife Abigail. I then headed over to Scotland Yard, where I was interning that summer. It was about 7:30 that evening when Mycroft showed up. He often met us there and we would go home together, often picking up Bertie from school or the Rugby pitch on the way. I was working with Anderson down in the forensic lab when I got a text from Greg.

Dad's here.  
Needs to talk to you about  
accommodation or something.  
D x

I sighed and, explaining to Anderson, I left him. I then climbed the stairs back up to my Dad's office. I liked it here. It felt safe and smelt of coffee and doughnuts and his aftershave. It smelt like home. It had become a home away from home for me, somewhere I could come and study but also relax if I needed to. When I walked in, one Dad was sat behind his desk, holding a mug of coffee and talking to my other dad, who was stood in the corner of the room, impeccably dressed, holding his umbrella over his arm like normal. I often wonder if that umbrella contained official state secrets as it went everywhere with him! He was leaning against the wall but stood to attention when I walked in.

"Ah, Lexie, good to see you." He smiled, "Where were you?"

"Down in the forensics lab with Anderson. He was explaining to me how they tested fingerprints and DNA." I smiled, "Quite interesting actually."

"Hmm. I'm sure it was." He muttered. Greg chuckled.

"Don't," I said, smiling, "Don't be like that!"

"Be like what?" he replied, bemused, knowing exactly what I was getting at.

"Like 'Oh I have the superior job and that means that everyone else is beneath me'" I shook my head in mock disbelief, "Anderson does a very good job y'know and an undervalued one."

Greg almost choked on his coffee as he tried to stop laughing, "Did Anderson tell you that?"

I ignored him, "Anyway," I asked, turning my attention to Mycroft again, "You wanted to talk to me?"

'Yes, of course." Mycroft came and perched on the edge of the desk, "Have you sorted out your accommodation for next year?"

"Well, I've applied. I won't know what I've been given until I get my results." Which was true. I had accepted my offer for King's College and Chichester and I had chosen my accommodation preferences for each.

"I want to buy you a flat." Mycroft said, quite bluntly.

"What?!"

"My God, really?" Greg and I responded at the same time.

"Yes, really." He replied as if this were as normal as offering to buy someone a coffee. "Lexie, you are my daughter, I just want you to be safe."

"I'll be safer in Halls, Dad." I scoffed.

"I beg to differ!" argued Mycroft, crossing his arms.

"Oh, what, cause you're going to watch me like a hawk?"

Mycroft didn't respond and I looked at him incredulously, "Oh my God, you are, aren't you? You're going to spy on me? Why? Why can't you let me live my life the way I want to? I'm 18 for heaven's sakes, I'll be 21 when I graduate. You can't mollycoddle me all my life. I'm not Uncle Sherlock or Aunt Eurus!"

"Myc, you can't keep Alex under 24/7 surveillance, it's inhumane. Its… its like something out of the last century. It'll be like living in a police state!"

"Why? It's worked with Sherlock?"

"Does it though?" Greg asked, "Does it really? Remember when Mary died and you tried to keep him under surveillance and you didn't even realise that your crazy, homicidal sister had escaped Sherrinford? You ended up locked in her cell!"

Mycroft sighed, "Lexie's not… she's not like Sherlock or Eurus so it would be… She never would have known…"

"She's also in the room!" I retorted.

"Alex isn't on drugs, she's not a security risk! There is no reason for watching her round the clock!" Greg argued, his voice raised ever so slightly. "She's going to be a university student, for Christ sake, let her be independent Myc!"

"She's the daughter of a senior official in the British Government and a senior officer in the Met Police! And the niece of the world's foremost consulting detective! Of course, she's a security risk!" Mycroft spat, looking furious.

"Again, I'm in the room. Can you stop talking about me as though I'm not here!" Greg looked sympathetically at me. "Look, with a bit of luck, I'll be at King's College and I'll be 16 minutes away on the Tube, a forty-minute walk, if that. I won't be going anywhere anytime soon. I'll come home on the weekends and I'll still come and wind you up at work. But I need to start living on my own, I need to start fending for myself."

Mycroft went to say something, but I interrupted him.

"Without surveillance!" I added, smiling slightly.

"Dad, you need to let Alex do this."

I spun round to see my younger brother, Robert stood in the doorway. He was still in his rugby kit, mud flecked in his strawberry blonde hair.

"Bertie, what has any of this got to do with you?" asked Mycroft, annoyed that he was now clearly outnumber in this matter.

"Hello, Dad, nice to see you to and for your information, it has everything to do with me!"

Mycroft just gave him a look that said 'explain'.

"Well, think about it. In three years time, I'm going to want to go to uni and unlike Alex, I want to get out of London, but like Alex, I won't want my every move followed. If you loosen the reigns now with Alex, then I might not have such a fight on my hands.

Greg smiled and looked down at his rapidly cooling coffee. I sighed in relief.

"I can see I am not going to win this, so I will concede defeat." I jumped in delight, "On one condition!" he added.

"Name it." I said. I didn't care what it was. I was going to university and I was going to be free for the first time in my life. I was going to be me.

"You _will _let me pay for your accommodation. Student digs. Whatever you call them."

I was about to protest when Greg gave me a look of 'don't push it'.

"Fine." I replied, grinning from ear to ear. Fine, I was going to be the kid whose Daddy paid for her education, so what. I was going to be free, unfollowed, my life as my own. "Thanks Dad!" I added, before giving him a hug.

"You're welcome, Lexie." He smiled, "I do love you, y'know."

"I know Dad. In you're strange, sometimes controlling way, I know you love me."

Mycroft kissed the top of my head.

"I love you too!" added Greg, also joining the hug. "And Bertie, obviously!"

"Yes, let's not forget Bertie!" I said, pulling him into the hug, "My saviour!" I added, and he squeezed my hand in response.

"Hang on! How did you know we were in here?" I asked.

Bertie chucked, "Are you kidding?" he replied, "I could hear you from the end of the corridor!"

I swatted his arm, "You need a shower!"

THE END


End file.
